Fourth Umbral Moon, Day 10
It had been a long day as we had set up camp in a new location that was a full day's march away from where we had been. Not that it mattered much as the scenery hadn't much changed from the reddish-brown rock desert I had gotten used to before. Once we had set up the camp, the men had begun to drink some ale and relax a bit, which was a good thing as everyone has been on edge lately. Thorin had also been drinking, perhaps a bit too heavily and as I was finishing arranging the gear in his tent he stumbled in and sat down on the stool near the side of the tent. He heaved a deep sigh and looked at me as I was finishing moving some small crates to the side.
"You need t' relax boy. Take a seat." His words were slurred, but only slightly. He motioned for me to sit, and so I looked at the crates, deciding they could hold my weight before sitting down and awkwardly looking around the room while Thorin continued staring at me. "You and I don't talk much, boy. And y' look as if a primal itself has walked into the camp. Speak your mind, son." He reached over near his bed and pulled out a half empty bottle of wine and poured two glasses, offering me one, to which I graciously took, drinking a small sip before looking up and seeing Thorin was still looking at me to speak. I cleared my throat and asked "May I speak freely, sir?"
"I told you to speak, boy, so speak freely."
I breathed deeply and then the words came out, "Why are you doing this sir? I mean...I have known you for some time and, uhm...I don't doubt your loyalty to the Empire...but it just seems like we are doing, uhm...more...than we are ordered to be doing here? Maybe? Uhmm...." My eyes darted to the floor and I could feel my face go flush red as I said it and I had a moment where I feared I would be dead within a minute for having said it. When I realized I wasn't dead, I looked up and saw Thorin sipping his cup and then he set it on the ground before leaning forward and clasping his hands together.
"My loyalty to the Empire's none of your business son, but b'cause you had the guts to ask th' question I'll answer. I do what I do because th' Empire doesn't go far 'nough in its business out here."
I was puzzled by the answer but Thorin wasn't finished, so I remained attentive and quiet.
"All this talk of the beastmen and primals....it's good. I truly do believe we are doin' the proper thing here by culling that lot from the world. But 'tis not enough, boy. Not enough by far. He drew a sip from his wine and closed his eyes as he spoke quietly. "I have a son, you know...not much younger than y'rself. Brave lad, fighting for the Empire....not unlike you." He smiled at the last but just as quickly, the smile faded. "Had. I had a son. He's gone now. Butchered by a tribe of savages in La Noscea."
I started to try to say I was sorry for his loss when he continued, "So I fight f'r him. To make sure his memory isn't washed away in some damn mine somewhere with the filth and stink of the beasts that put him in the ground." He opened his eyes and looked straight at me and I saw a fire of hate deep in those eyes as he continued, "The Empire is hell bent on these beastmen, which I support, and yet these citizens here, be they the desert folk out here or the lot dwelling in the woods....they get a pass. Oh, we'll conquer 'em, conscript 'em, but they get a damn pass. And that's the problem. It's by their apathy...their lack of courage to purge these beasts from the land...that's what caused m'boy to be killed. And I'm not soon to f'rget that, boy."
I realized then and there that the mission had become a personal one for Thorin. "If I've my way, boy, we'll burn these lands to the ground, both beasts and the folks that live here. Men, women and children....they all need to go. And I aim to make that happen, even if it takes me one village, one home, or one caravan at a time." He drank the remainder of his cup of wine and threw the cup to the ground. "That, boy, is why I do what I do. You c'n go now."
I hesitated for a brief moment when he raised his voice, "I said get out boy before I skin you alive."
I stood and bowed before quickly exiting the tent to the cool night air.
It had been a long day as we had set up camp in a new location that was a full day's march away from where we had been. Not that it mattered much as the scenery hadn't much changed from the reddish-brown rock desert I had gotten used to before. Once we had set up the camp, the men had begun to drink some ale and relax a bit, which was a good thing as everyone has been on edge lately. Thorin had also been drinking, perhaps a bit too heavily and as I was finishing arranging the gear in his tent he stumbled in and sat down on the stool near the side of the tent. He heaved a deep sigh and looked at me as I was finishing moving some small crates to the side.
"You need t' relax boy. Take a seat." His words were slurred, but only slightly. He motioned for me to sit, and so I looked at the crates, deciding they could hold my weight before sitting down and awkwardly looking around the room while Thorin continued staring at me. "You and I don't talk much, boy. And y' look as if a primal itself has walked into the camp. Speak your mind, son." He reached over near his bed and pulled out a half empty bottle of wine and poured two glasses, offering me one, to which I graciously took, drinking a small sip before looking up and seeing Thorin was still looking at me to speak. I cleared my throat and asked "May I speak freely, sir?"
"I told you to speak, boy, so speak freely."
I breathed deeply and then the words came out, "Why are you doing this sir? I mean...I have known you for some time and, uhm...I don't doubt your loyalty to the Empire...but it just seems like we are doing, uhm...more...than we are ordered to be doing here? Maybe? Uhmm...." My eyes darted to the floor and I could feel my face go flush red as I said it and I had a moment where I feared I would be dead within a minute for having said it. When I realized I wasn't dead, I looked up and saw Thorin sipping his cup and then he set it on the ground before leaning forward and clasping his hands together.
"My loyalty to the Empire's none of your business son, but b'cause you had the guts to ask th' question I'll answer. I do what I do because th' Empire doesn't go far 'nough in its business out here."
I was puzzled by the answer but Thorin wasn't finished, so I remained attentive and quiet.
"All this talk of the beastmen and primals....it's good. I truly do believe we are doin' the proper thing here by culling that lot from the world. But 'tis not enough, boy. Not enough by far. He drew a sip from his wine and closed his eyes as he spoke quietly. "I have a son, you know...not much younger than y'rself. Brave lad, fighting for the Empire....not unlike you." He smiled at the last but just as quickly, the smile faded. "Had. I had a son. He's gone now. Butchered by a tribe of savages in La Noscea."
I started to try to say I was sorry for his loss when he continued, "So I fight f'r him. To make sure his memory isn't washed away in some damn mine somewhere with the filth and stink of the beasts that put him in the ground." He opened his eyes and looked straight at me and I saw a fire of hate deep in those eyes as he continued, "The Empire is hell bent on these beastmen, which I support, and yet these citizens here, be they the desert folk out here or the lot dwelling in the woods....they get a pass. Oh, we'll conquer 'em, conscript 'em, but they get a damn pass. And that's the problem. It's by their apathy...their lack of courage to purge these beasts from the land...that's what caused m'boy to be killed. And I'm not soon to f'rget that, boy."
I realized then and there that the mission had become a personal one for Thorin. "If I've my way, boy, we'll burn these lands to the ground, both beasts and the folks that live here. Men, women and children....they all need to go. And I aim to make that happen, even if it takes me one village, one home, or one caravan at a time." He drank the remainder of his cup of wine and threw the cup to the ground. "That, boy, is why I do what I do. You c'n go now."
I hesitated for a brief moment when he raised his voice, "I said get out boy before I skin you alive."
I stood and bowed before quickly exiting the tent to the cool night air.
